76ers at Raptors
The Toronto Raptors will have a more complete roster Friday when they host the Philadelphia 76ers in the front end of a back-to-back set. The Raptors, who visit Chicago the next night, played shorthanded in their most recent affair - a 116-103 loss to San Antonio on Tuesday - while awaiting the arrival of four players acquired in a trade with Sacramento. Guard Greivis Vasquez and forwards Chuck Hayes, Patrick Patterson and John Salmons were all in limbo as Vasquez ironed out visa issues.
While Toronto welcomes a new point guard, the 76ers are struggling to get by without their floor general as rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams remains sidelined with a right knee infection. Carter-Williams has missed four straight games and will not return until the infection goes away. Philadelphia has lost each of those four games and is 2-12 in its last 14 affairs.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia (Philadelphia), TSN (Toronto)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (7-16): Philadelphia had the look of a team that was ready to turn things around early on at Minnesota on Wednesday, when it raced to a 39-20 lead after one quarter. However, without the ball in the hands of Carter-Williams, things went awry and the 76ers ended up with a season high-tying 26 turnovers. Philadelphia entered Thursday's play averaging 18 turnovers, fewer than only Houston.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (7-13): Vasquez's arrival immediately put into question the status of fellow point guard Kyle Lowry, who is averaging career highs in points (14.6), assists (6.7) and steals (1.8). Lowry figured to at least see a reduction in minutes, but could see a much more dramatic change as he was already rumored in a potential trade with New York. While Lowry has been a solid contributor, Toronto still ranks last in the NBA in assists (17.7) and is tied for 26th in assist-to-turnover ratio, a category in which Vasquez ranks fourth in the league at 3.52.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Raptors F Tyler Hansbrough (shoulder) may return after missing two games.
2. The Sixers reached 100 points in their last three games before Carter-Williams left the lineup but have averaged 90.5 without him.
3. Toronto SG DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points in a 108-98 win at Philadelphia on Nov. 20